This invention relates to an exterior rear view mirror for a motor vehicle of the type comprising bracket means adapted to be secured to the vehicle body, and a housing containing a reflective member and having first and second support elements each of which is pivotally connected to the bracket means for relative angular movement about a pivot axis, the pivotal connection between the second support element and the bracket means including detent means adapted to hold the housing at a predetermined orientation relative to the bracket means, the second support element being movable relative to the bracket means parallel to the pivot axis to effect engagement and disengagement of the detent means, and resilient means being arranged to urge the detent formations into engagement.
The invention is applicable to exterior mirrors of the type in which each support element comprises an arm projecting laterally from the housing. The two arms may be widely spaced from one another with each pivotally connected to a separate bracket adapted to be secured to the vehicle body. For example, one arm may be located above the mirror housing and the other below it. Alternatively, the two arms may be relatively close to one another, the bracket means consisting of a single bracket to which both are pivotally connected.
With this type of mirror, any misalignment between the pivot axes of the two pivot joints can prevent the detent formations coming into full engagement with one another with the result that there is free play between the arms and the bracket means. The present invention aims to provide a mirror assembly which is not subject to this disadvantage.